Stringed musical instrument.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I, IBIS.

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Witnesses R. L YEAKEY. STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented May 22, 1917.

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R. L. YEAKEY.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1936.

1,227,358; I Patented May 22,1917,

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UNITED tdTATEti PATENT FFIGE.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed septembcr 1, 1916. Serial No. 118,113.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rosana L. YEAKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cave in Rock, in the county of Hardin and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Stringed Musical Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a stringed musical instrument of the violin type, including the viola, Violoncello, and double bass, wherein there may be obtained all of the advantages as to quality of tone, volume, etc., found only in the instruments made by hand with the utmost care and skill and at the expense of much time, the elements of which are of such construction as to permit-of their being machine-made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of instrument of this type wherein greater accuracy and nicety of adjustment can be secured between the parts in order to produce the most satisfactory tonal qualities.

In the drawing, wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated as applied to a violin of the right handor usual type, it being understood however that the arrangement may be adapted for left hand performers,--

Figure 1 is a side view of the instrument with a portion of the apertured board broken away to show the connection between the body and the frame.

Fig. 2 is a plan view on a slightly enlarged scale, the head being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken near the plane of the bridge and through the center of the body.

Fig. 4: is a detail view in perspective of the lever and its supporting bracket.

Fig. 5 is a detail section on the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The body 10 of the instrument consists of a band 11 of circular form, an apertured board 12 and a sound board 13, the former having formed therein the opening 14. Either or both the boards may be of planoconvex construction with the flat surface disposed inwardly. The frame 15 has one face substantially tangential to the body and this frame is connected with the body by means of a web 16 on the former fitted in a slot 17 in the band of the body. The neck 18 is supported beyond one end of the frame 15, the finger board 19 being exposed throughout its length and therefore readily accessible to the performer even in the highest positions. Thestrings as usual in such instruments extend from the pins 20 in the head 21 to the tail piece 22 and bear upon the bridge 23 which is located over and parallel with the axis of the body.

Interposed between the'bridge 23 and the body is a bridge-bar or bridgesupporting element 24. having a heel 25 bearing upon the member or bridge plate 26 which extends transversely of the body of the instrument and is firmly secured to the frame as by means of screws 27 or the equivalents thereof. The toe of the bridge bar or bridge supporting element 241 is supported by a rod 28 which at its upper end is seated in a groove 29 in the under side of the bridge bar and at its lower end is seated on one arm of a lever 30 pivotally mounted upon a supportingbar 31 through the agency of a bracket 32 (shown in detail in Fig. 4). Said lever is preferably provided with a socket or cup 33 and its pivot pin 34 is adapted to be mounted in either of a series of bearings 35 in the flanges 36 of said bracket. The other arm of said lever is connected with the sound board 13 by means of a link 37 engaged at one end with either of a series of openings 38 in said stirrup and at the other end with a cleat 39 secured by glue or other suitable means to the inner surface of the sound board.

It will be noted that the bridge bar is capable of movement or adjustment to position its heel as may be desired with reference to the adjacent foot of the bridge and the sound board of thebody while preserving the accurate alinement of the bridge with the finger board, and that such adjustments or movements may be compensated for by the adjustment of the upper end of the rod as to the length of the bridge bar and the other foot of the bridge, a slot 40 being formed in the bridge plate 26 to permit of the desired adjustment of the upper end of the rod. The bridge pressure due to the tension on the strings is thus conveyed to the body by means of the heel of the bridge bar under conditions which permit of adjustment of said heel with reference to the bridge foot and the sound board of the body and said bridge pressure is communicated through the rod through means exerting an inward stress upon the sound board of the body.

It should be noted further that the web 16 serves to stiffen the frame and prevent warping thereof due to string tension.

What is claimed is 1. A stringed musical instrument having a round body with opposed side boards, one of which constitutes a sound board, a finger board connected to the body, a bridge-supporting bar having a heel, a member on the body and engaged by the heel, a rod engaging the toe of said bridge bar, a lever in the body and engaging one end of the rod, and a link connection between said lever and the sound board.

2. A stringed musical instrument having a round body having boards forming the sides thereof, one of said boards being a sound board, a finger board connected to the periphery of the body, a bridge-supporting bar having a heel, a member on the body, and engaged by the heel, a rod supporting the toe of the bridge bar, and means for transmitting motion transversely of the body from the rod to the sound board.

8. A stringed musical instrument having a circular fiat-sided body, a finger board connected to the peripheral portion of the body, a bridge-supporting bar having a heel and movable in a plane extending transversely through the body, a member upon the body, and engaged by the heel, a rod supporting the toe of the bridgesupporting bar and extending within the body and toward the center thereof, and means for transmitting motion transversely of the body from said rod to one side of the body,

heel bearing on the bridge plate, a rod supporting the toe of the bridge bar and extending into the body, and means for transmitting motion transversely of the body from the rod to one side of the body, said side constituting a sound board.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto a'ffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. YEAK'EY.

Witnesses:

J. A. LEDBETTER, W. H. HERRIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

